About – Justin Billingsley

My name is Justin Billingsley Arizona and Phoenix resident. I am just trying to make the most out of life, being the healthiest person I can be!

My vegan journey started in college. Back in those days, I lived on a staple diet of ramen noodles. I would often eat at fast-food places. During this time, I gained 40 pounds and I constantly felt tired and sick. Frustrated with feeling unhealthy all the time, I began to research healthy eating. I started to go to the gym five times a week and I began eating a low-carb diet. While I did gain a lot of muscle and I lost a lot of fat, I still felt tired all the time. It seemed like every time I ate, I would need to nap.

One day I told my vegan friend about this dilemma that was afflicting me. I wondered how I could become healthy, while also feeling energetic. He told me about all of the health benefits of a vegan diet. At first I was apprehensive about this idea. I wondered, would I still be able to gain muscle on a vegan diet? Would it be too restrictive? Would any of my food even taste good? These questions are what at first stopped me and continues to stop many other people from becoming vegan. I wish I had known then what I know today.

I watched a couple of documentaries on veganism during that month. I was horrifed at the slaughterhouse and fur farm videos. How can we call ourselves human when this is how we treat animals? I wanted nothing to do with supporting animal agriculture. I did not want to support such murderous, cruel industries. Animals are not ours to do what we please with. I looked at my dogs, whom I love dearly, and I asked myself, “Why do I love them but also eat other animals? What makes them any less special than cows, pigs or chickens?” I was ready to go vegan for both ethical and health reasons.

I then decided to try being vegan for a month. I figured if I didn’t enjoy being vegan, I would quit and go back to an animal product and meat based diet. During the first couple of days of me being vegan, I noticed that my body felt amazing. I no longer felt like I had to take a nap after I ate my meals, I actually felt like I could run a mile after I ate.

I began to use brown rice protein powder instead of whey. I made sure to eat plant-based foods that were high in protein, such as artichoke, spinach, avocado and kale. These foods only helped me with my gains. Whenever I told people that I ate a plant-based diet, they would look at me in shock. Many are ignorant to the benefits of non-animal based proteins.

The only part of my new vegan diet that was difficult was cooking. I knew nothing about how to make healthy, delicious vegan foods at home. I had no idea what to put in my fridge, I had to idea where to even start! The beginning of my vegan journey was marked by confusion. I was constantly buying new vegan cookbooks and referencing Google for delicious vegan recipes. There was definitely a learning curve. What helped me with my new diet the most was cooking videos on Youtube. They were a huge help, I had a ton of vegan recipes right at my fingertips!

Today, I constantly cook vegan food for me and my family. Even my non-vegan friends and family love my cooking! On this blog, I am going to show you the recipes that I make in my day-t0-day life. Many people think vegan food is bland and lacks any flavor. I hope to reverse many of these misconceptions with my blog. I hope I can make your vegan journey easier on you!

I love visual arts and reading books on fiction and history. This is my very first blog and I am excited about telling the world about myself and my adventures in Arizona and the world.

You can see some of my art here:

I will be updating this blog from time to time. I will probably be uploading video art as well as artistic images. If you have any ideas for my website including requests, feel free to contact me.